Lydia Laird

Lydia Susie Zerbe Laird was born May 24, 1921, on her father's homestead at Lustre, MT. She was the first of six children born to German-speaking immigrants William and Maria Zerbe. When Lydia started 1st grade, she didn't know one word of English. She grew up in a Mennonite Brethren church where the sermons at first were preached in German and German hymns were harmoniously sung that followed her all her life. It was in this spiritual climate that, as a teenager in 1935, she repented and trusted Jesus Christ to save her from her sins. After graduating from 8th grade, two years of Bible school, and high school, Lydia went to Spokane, WA, where she went to a business college for a year, before going to St. Paul Bible College in MN where she graduated in 1946 with a degree in Christian Education. A few months later on July 7 she married Raymond Laird. Ray and Lydia lived in Montana for one year where he taught school, then moved to Ray's home state of NE where he became a pastor of small churches in NE and KS. After giving birth to 3 sons, Ray and Lydia moved to Denver, CO in 1953 where Ray eventually landed a job with Conoco as an accountant. A daughter was born to them and this now family of six lived in Denver until a transfer to Ponca City, OK happened in 1966. After living in OK for 16 years, Ray and Lydia moved back to Denver where they lived in retirement for 30 years. Lydia started losing her hearing at age 40 and later during their retirement years she lost virtually all of her hearing. Even with this physical hardship, her family never heard her complain of her disability, but only witnessed a life of contentment and service to her Lord and family. Now her 4 children, 13 grandchildren, and 28 and counting great grandchildren rejoice that she is pain free and with her Lord and Savior, and that she now can see and hear perfectly the glorious sights and sounds of her heavenly home with Him.

Psalm 91:1, 2 ESV
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."